If you follow our Blog but are not currently a member of Devon Birds please consider joining Devon Birds to help us with the upkeep of running the website and this service as well as our valuable conservation work .

Posted October 10th, 2016 at 9:14 am by George & Julia Harris in General Birding

Acting on comments to Devon Birds some changes have been made to this page. To the right of this header post you'll see there are now several subjects for you to choose to read and post on. Just click your chosen subject and use as previously.

Please be careful not to post under the wrong subject. If you do, you can still easily go back to edit and change the subject yourself so it appears on the right page.

Sunday 7th May 2017

Black Redstart and 3 male Wheatears in set aside field near Gammon Head, otherwise a Whitethroat (36 singing males on territory) and Swallow day , with 115 Swallows either in off the sea or coasting eastwards. Butterfly species included 2 Small Pearl- bordered fritillaries, 4 Green Hairstreak, 2 Common Blues ( including one female) and a Small Copper. More warmth and sunshine would have produced more.

Excellent day on the North Devon/Cornwall border, with swallows moving up the coast into Devon at a rate of between 600 and 800 per hour, at least 1500 counted, plus 6 House Martins(!) at Marsland DWT reserve. Also 4 Whitethroat in full song

Ringing in the reserve at Velator this morning was rewarded with 3 Reed Warblers and the first juveniles of Blackbird, Robin and Song Thrush. I also ringed two adult breeding female Blackbirds. This is interesting as I'm sure I've also retrapped several of the resident female Blackbirds. If they all succeed, we'll be knee deep in them!

This afternoon I returned to Horsey Island as the tide rose, about 70 Dunlin and 12 Ringed Plover, 1 Redshank, 4 noisy Oystercatchers, 20 Grey Plover (showing a wide range of plumages from full winter to full sum. No sign of Curlew Sandpiper, but two Ruff appeared.

from the viewing platform at bowling green marsh another 8+ grey plover. 59+ bar tailed godwits, the Spoonbill was very active today feeding most of the time, just after 15:20 picked up a distant Osprey down river of Lympstone it caught 1 fish but lost it as it took off it then flew up river towards turf we saw it dive again but was lost to view ( other birders at the goatwalk saw it take a large fish and it headed up behind turf), 30+ swift through in small groups, 7+ buzzard through heading north up the river clyst , 15+ great crested grebe

Another quick look from the hide produced a 1st summer Mediterranean gull.

To join the general trend, this afternoon I had a Hobby over my house. Where might that be, you might ask. Exeter, is the answer, on the western side up from St Thomas, turn right by the toilets....... by the way it has gone. 12 Swifts too.

Wood warbler back first sighting this year,four more sights for us to look at.2male 2 female redstart,1pied flycatcher,3 goldcrest,Gs woodpecker black cap and good amounts of locals again in fine voice although bitterly cold wind.

This afternoon I cycled out across the Marsh road, down the American Road and home along the Toll road. 3 Blackcaps, 2 Chiffchaffs, 2 Willow Warblers, 2 Whitethroats, 8 Sedge Warblers, 1 Swift, Good numbers of Swallows and near Velator Harbour 20 plus Sand Martins. 1 Common Sandpiper on the Caen. Highlight was the new flood on Horsey Island. About 200 summer plumage Dunlin, 75 or so Ringed Plover, a dozen Whimbrel, 20 Grey Plover (some in cracking summer plumage). Best was a summer plumage Curlew Sandpiper. Possible Little Stint.

A couple of visits to the head today started with a dawn chorus walk lots of song, best birds were a Sedge Warbler steady passage of Swifts again - 60 plus and a summer plumaged Great Northern Diver over the top of the headland.

this afternoon the wind dropped and the sun tried to break through at sea 23 Manx Shearwaters, 2 Common Scoter a small pod of about 10-12 Common Dolphin and 2 Harbour Porpoise.

In the quarry a Reed Warbler broke into song and a minimum of 9 Small Blue Butterflies and my first Common Blue Butterfly of the year.

Seen yesterday afternoon, around 2.30pm, from Trendlebere, above Yarner: 1 Red Kite, 1 Swift, 1 male Yellowhammer singing, small party of very mobile Lesser Redpoll, and 1 Whitethroat seen and more heard.

Earlier in morning in Yarner, very good views of: Pair of Pied Flycatcher with the female taking nesting marerial into box, pair of Redstart and a lovely singing Wood Warbler, despite blustery, cool conditions. A pair of Bullfinches on the feeders outside the hide up the hill, also a liitle flock of Siskin. 4 male Mandarin on pond next to car park.

Cannot see the point of posting sightings such as 'Swifts over my house....' when there is no indication of where 'my house' actually is!.

And it is difficult to take seriously the postings that include birds that don't actually exist in any bird books that I possess such as Greater Black Backed Gulls, Canadian Geese, Shoveller, Greater Spotted Woodpecker.

Harvey Kendall.

Eds: Good point about location. Would contributors please give location (a general description is fine if you don't want to identify your exact home address). With regard to names, whislt it's helpful to quote the precise name if you can, we understand that not everyone is aware of all birds' exact names. We welcome postings from a variety of contributors of differing abilities. We generally would not correct slip ups in names where the species is clear even if technically not quoted correctly.

If contributors are making points, please try and do so in a contructive tone and remember we all make mistakes; so if correcting something, please do so in way you would be happy to be on the receiving end of.

Pied flycatchers,siskin,redstart,chiffchaff,willow warblers,goldcrest,swift,swallows,coal tit marsh Tit,Gs woodpecker,sparrowhawk,mistle thrush,jay,blackcap,longtailed tit ,nuthatch and treecreeper. Beautiful chorus if not quite dawn!!very nice to see bird boxes repaired and new.A good number of all species made for a very enjoyable morning.

2 swifts in off the sea this morning battling against the wind. Also singing sedge warbler in valley to beach, singing willow warbler in roadside garden in village with another seen at Wembury Point, chiffchaffs, blackcaps and whitethroats.

In a very windy reserve this morning 2 each of singing Blackcaps and Chiffchaffs, Reed and Cetti's Warblers. Odd that yesterday, for the first time since I ringed one a couple of years ago, a Little Egret landed atop a tree in the reserve. Odder then that it, or another should fly in and land by the pond a few yards from where I was watching this morning. Flew off as I was reaching for the camera. 2 Swifts over.

This is the male Canada Goose pretending he's not there - as if I can't see him with his head down!

A visit to Berry Head produced little in the way of grounded migrants - but did produce a passage of swifts overhead all heading East a total of 266 in 1 hour. bit of video here: https://youtu.be/g81RN72n39Q

At Piagnton Zoo this afternoon, I witnessed a pair of Crows mobbing a branched Tawny Owlet in a tree close to the Tiger enclosure. I contacted reception to see if they could send someone to rescue the owlet before it was forced into the Tiger enclosure. Unfortunately the Owlet was forced into the enclosure before help arrived but the keepers were able to call in the tigers and rescue the Owlet. The adult Tigers were disinterested but the cub attempted to play with the owlet much like any cat does with a bird and it was interested to see the Owlet rear, spread its wings and hiss, somewhat bemusing the cub. The Owlet was on its feet when rescued and looked OK but was taken straight off to the Zoo vet for a checkup.

4 garden warblers today (3 singing males with a female in attendance with 1 of them), good to see and hear after a blank here last year.

Also 2 or 3 singing and mobile male redstarts with a female also seen, 3 tree pipits( 2 songflighting males with a female in attendance with 1 of them), a cuckoo heard cuckooing just twice, a tawny owl heard despite the sunshine, 3 marsh tit, a male yellowhammer, willow warblers, a pair of stonechat and a green woodpecker heard yaffling.

Walked from the Tarka Tennis Centre up to Bishop's Tawton and back this morning. Reed Warblers singing in all 3 small reed-beds (two by the river, one at the pond. One Blackcap singing, another seen. One Whitethroat and one Lesser Whitethroat (between the Rock Park Footbridge and the by-pass bridge). A Kestrel preceded me along the walk, hovering intermittently. At the pond (opposite Bishop's Tawton) 3 Shelduck, 1 Little Egret, 1 Pied Wagtail and a pair of Grey Wagtail. Sadly, no Waders this morning. On the way back a Mistle Thrush flew north across the river.

osprey over isley marsh, then over home farm by the hide and finally heading over taw to horsey island got some shots but it was flying high away from gulls.Also cettis,reed warbler,sedge warblers,gs woodpecker,whitethroats,little egret,willow warblers and chiffchaff.butterflies, small blue ,red admiral,orange tip and small white.

Up to Bowling Green Marsh and Exminster marsh with Keith Male for the midday high tide.

On BGM a Ruff and Greenshank in with the Godwit flock and a Spoonbill showing well, duck species inc some 10 Tufted, pair of Gadwall, Shoveller and Mallard with ducklings. Chiffchaff in the lane side hedge. Four Buzzard soaring high over the area

, On Exminster marsh 15 plus Reed Warblers very vocal but extremely elusive, Reed Buntings, a Garden Warbler, seven Whimbrel and at least two Lapwing on leaving a distant Hobby and a hovering Kestrel.

Having been given a heads up by Andy Leat yesterday I went to Horsey Island this morning. I soon saw my first Merlin but had to wait 2 hours before the Osprey showed up. It came and went for the next half hour frequently hovering but not making a catch. It finally disappeared NW towards Baggy.

Monday 1st May 2017

As I can't make the Devon Birds trip, I sneaked over for a preview today.

Good numbers of Manx Shearwaters on the outward journey, and in with one large raft were a few Common Terns and several Black Terns. Also the usual Guillemots, Razorbills, Kittiwakes and the odd Gannet.

In Millcombe, 4 Blackcaps, Whitethroat, 2/3 Chiffchaffs, Goldcrest, and at the top of the valley Redpoll and Willow Warbler.

Walked out along 1/4 wall - two Sika Deer. Huge numbers of nesting Guillemots and Razorbills along with encouraging numbers of Puffins in Jenny's Cove. Plus Fulmars.

At Pondsbury 3 Teal two broods of Mallard, Sedge Warbler, Swift, House Martin. Then bird of the day: a Short-eared Owl which flew round and pitched in south of the pond.

After seeing a fine male Redstart along the east part of 1/4 wall, not much along the east side, but back in Millcombe with a little help from Tim and Tim, I saw Grasshopper Warbler, Lesser Whitethroat, Garden Warbler, and a rather distant view of the Red-necked Grebe. Buzzard and Kestrel seen along with 2 Peregrine.

Went for a drive out over the moors, not expecting to see much due to the rain, but the weather gave way to sunshine and it was a raptor fest. 6 kestrels in 2 different locations 1 kestral catching a sloworm ? Or similar feeding on the wing.1 peregrine, many buzzards individually but most impressive 5 buzzards on reedy upland Moor, all hovering and occasionally plummeting. Meadow pipits, skylarks and a few bullfinch. Goosander and 2 chicks,but technically they were just inside Somerset.

headed back into Topsham and about 12:35 had 2 hobby headed over the strand by the Dutch house headed of east decided to look from the quay to check for any more hobby moving over exminster quickly picked up 2 heading from powderham to exminster marsh over the next 2 hours had another 9+ all picked up over powderham heading north onto the marsh with 8 in the air just before I left so final total was at least 13+ birds in the 2 hours I watched . Also notable movement of swift high over the marsh all heading north with at least 50+ birds and lots of swallows moving through , 1 common sandpiper and 10 more whimbrel headed north.

Loads of Ringed Plover, Dunlin and Oystercatcher on the high tide with about 8+ Whimbrel, 2 Red Knot and a Little Stint. On the Burrows there were Sedge Warblers, Common Whitethroat, Linnets, Wheatear and skylark.

A drake Garganey was at Bowling Green Marsh early in the morning, flying off towards the estuary. Other ducks included surprisingly good numbers of Teal and Wigeon (15+), plus Shoveler (7), Pintail (drake), Gadwall (pair plus a drake) and Tufted (8). An Avocet and a couple of Whimbrel came in at high tide, as did 2 Ruff, Dunlin (200?), Ringed Plover (1), both godwits and some Knot briefly, before decanting to Goosemoor. A Swift went through and about a hundred mixed hirundines fed over in front of the hide.

At Goosemoor, 28 Greenshanks and a mixed bunch of Knot and both godwits fed for a while until the water level rose and the mud disappeared. Some splendid Knots and Bar-tails in breeding plumage, despite the dismal light!

Bar-tailed Godwit and Knots at Goosemoor Bar-tails in varying plumages! Garganey at BGM